Passport and labor offices are witnessing an increased flow of expatriate workers looking for documentation assistance for changing professions, transferring sponsorships and seeking other jobs as they rush to meet the July 3 deadline.

Although passport and labor offices are ditching paperwork in favor of electronic governance, these offices are still witnessing huge crowds.

In fact, these offices are now acting as information and guidance centers for amnesty seekers who wish to regularize their jobs through sponsorship transfer.

The large Asian expatriate community, which is largely not fluent in Arabic, forms the offices’ main clientele besides Arab expatriates who usually come to collect forms and seek advice. There are 160 offices near the Passport Office in Jeddah alone.

These offices are run by Saudis. The majority of offices are situated in makeshift tents or pick-up vehicles equipped with tiny tables, while some offices are located in buildings. There are 70 offices opposite the Passport Office in Abdullah Balkhyar Street in the Baghdadiah District in central Jeddah. Another 20 such offices are opposite the Labor Ministry’s offices that operate only with a laptop and printer.

Larger offices with proper office equipment are located opposite the Al-Badr hotel on the street leading to the airport and surrounding areas.

These offices offer services such as payment of government fees through the SADAD system, filling out online and hand-written forms, providing health insurance — which is mandatory for Iqama renewal — making photocopies, in addition to advising expatriates as to which forms must be filled out and procedures at the Passport or Labor Ministry offices.

The offices charge from SR 200 to SR 1,500 depending on the urgency and the expat’s level of know-how. They also take service fees or surcharges for paying penalties or fees through the SADAD system.